Snails... I know another question....

[jeffrey]

I have some snails, the standard one, but I have started to see different one, the curl of them goes close to the glass, and not out into hte water like the other snails.

I dont really know how to explain them. and they are too small for my camera to take a picture of.

Also what do the snails do? I have a large deep green algea spot on the back of my tank from the summer when the sun was on the tank. and its still there dispite the large number of snails.
(I'm not to worried about the spot, I dont think it hurts anything)

And I have been crushing so many that there are white flakes in my black sand from the shells.

 

[Teelie]

They sound like Ramshorn snails although pictures would confirm it. Depending on the species of snail, they eat nearly anything. Not all snails eat algae, some are carnivorous scavengers or eat only certain kinds of vegetation.

 

[jeffrey]

thats them, I dont have to worry about them eating plants or anything do I?

 

[Teelie]

Hard to make out but they do look like Ramshorn which will eat some plants. I'm not sure which ones or how destructive they are though.

 

[guppymonkey]

They look like ramshorns.

In general most snails suck. They aren't good for much of anything and are more of a nuisance then anything.

 

[jeffrey]

While I dont mind the normal snails, as well I cant tell what they do, if these rams horn ones will eat plants I really want to get rid of them.

How would I go about getting rid of them?

 

[enchanted]

I have ramshorn and malaysian trumpet snails in my tank that I consider "Friendly".

Niether of these snails have done any damage to my plants.

Now, on the other hand. The pond snails that most people consider a normal snail have done damage to my plants and keep appearing out of nowhere.

Luckily my puffers like a good snack.

 

[Def]

I have ramshorns in my tank too. They cruise along where the gravel meets the glass and eat all the algae I can't reach with a scraper. They're welcome guests. Never touched or damaged my plants, even though I see them on them.

 

[Teelie]

They look like ramshorns.

In general most snails suck. They aren't good for much of anything and are more of a nuisance then anything.

I have dozens of snails represented in at least 6 species and I have only had problems with one, a canaliculata Apple Snail eating plants. The rest are harmless or beneficial.